Dal Cero

The Dal Cero family has been producing wine for more than three generations, painstakingly carrying out every single step of the process, from caring for the vineyard through to bottling the wine. Winery founder Augusto Dal Cero displayed a deep-seated respect for local winemaking traditions, and his sons Dario and Giuseppe adopted that as their mission as well.

That fundamental philosophy evolved over time to include as well the Dal Ceros’ commitment to ensuring that their wines express to the fullest extent the character of their terroir. All of this is made possible by the seasoned expertise and proven dedication of the latest generation of the family.

The seamless melding together of experience handed down from the father with the innovative spirit and passionate commitment of the sons is the key to the Dal Cero family’s success in crafting world-class wines.

The Tenuta Montecchiesi has been in the Dal Cero family since 1980. In that year, Giuseppe and Dario, sons of winery founder Augusto Dal Cero, felt the pull of Tuscany’s noble tradition of red wines and decided to excel in this tradition as well. Convinced of the potential of this terroir, they planted new grape varieties in the vineyard, in addition to the sangiovese already growing there. Over the years, thanks to their fine instincts and expertise, the nine initial hectares grew, and today the Tenuta di Cortona boasts a full 46 hectares under vine.

The Tenuta Montecchiesi comprises two large but separate properties, about one kilometre apart. The first is an 18-hectare parcel near the village of Montecchio; the vineyards surround the old farming complex, which dates back to the early 20th century; today it is a modern, efficient winemaking cellar. The second property, covering 28 hectares in the village of Manzano, was the ancient estate of Contea del Cardinale Passarini. The cellar was recently re-structured.

Although its traditional rural architecture remains unchanged, it houses the most advanced winemaking technology. A great hall, completely underground and climate-controlled, holds the barriques and tonneaux.